Within the Shadows
by PurpleViolin
Summary: We all heard about the story of how Hawke turned from being a mage refugee to be named the Champion of Kirkwall. What about his little brother, Carver Hawke? The one who was made into a Grey Warden? What's his untold story? Rated M for language and violence
1. Hurled into chaos

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dragon Age, that's owned by Bioware and they are the most amazing people and gaming developer ever.  
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><p>His big brother had always led him into strange places but this had to be ranked as first on his list. Carver struggled to lift his sword as more darkspawn came in small waves. It was frightening, at first, to discover that darkspawn were more likely to jump out in the Deep Roads than bandits are to appear out of nowhere from their veil of darkness in LowTown. As he took in a few more breaths, he looked ahead to see his brother hurling fire balls at every darkspawn that came near them while the sound of bolts plunging into flesh that could only come from Varric's girl, Bianca.<p>

Carver looked sideways to see four hurlocks storming their way towards him, waving their swords and axes in the air. He glared at them as he griped the hilt of his two handed sword tighter. He waited until they came closer to him, waiting for the right moment to strike. He took in a deep breath before lifting his sword as they drew near. He let out a bellow as he ran forward and swung his sword in an arch, cleaving all four hurlocks in half.

He breathed out haggardly as he lowered his sword, finding it to cause a great strain on him. He cursed as he spat out blood from his mouth; it seemed to be no end to them. It was now that he started to feel sorry for the dwarves who had to deal with these soulless bastards every second of their lives. He started to move forward only to double over in pain as the Taint spread throughout his body. He cried out as he fell to his knees and slumped into the cold and rocky floor.

He tried to lift himself but his muscles failed him and he collapsed to the ground once again. He gritted his teeth as another shockwave of pain resonated throughout his dying body. He could barely lift his head when he heard his name being called out; the Taint was finally starting to catch up on him after five days.

From his burly vision he could make out the dark boots of his brother running towards him. "Carver, get up! Don't die on me yet!" his voiced boomed as he smacked a hurlock with the blunt end of his staff.

Carver violently coughed as he lightly glared at him, "Easier said than done, big brother!" He started to shake uncontrollably but managed to bring himself on his right knee. He used his left hand to support himself and laid his other arm on his knee. He panted heavily; it took almost all of his energy to be able to move. He rested his head on his arm when a wave of nausea struck him hard.

Everything was now swirling together; his thoughts, his sights, even what he smelled was becoming into a horrid stench. What a complete and utter idiot he was. He knew that he felt something wrong after the fight on the first day of exploration when their group was searching for the "enchantment" dwarf, Sandal. He didn't say anything; he didn't _want _to say anything. He didn't want to drag everyone down because of him. Most of all, he didn't want to depend on his _big brother_. He didn't care if it was a poor excuse but that's what happens when you are hidden in the shadows for too long.

Carver breathed slowly as his brother lifted him off the ground. His brother, Garrett, slung Carver's arm around his shoulders and let him lean all his weight on him. He lazily looked up at Garrett; taking in the worry on his face.

He laughed dryly, "I think this is the first time I ever seen you frown, brother." It really was rare to see him without an amused smirk on his face. It was the same smirk he would give to someone who threatened his life or whenever he flirted with the local women.

Garrett looked down at him, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly. "If I frown as much as you do then I would get wrinkles," He quipped in a teasing manner.

Carver scoffed; even in the worst situations his brother would somehow bring humor into it. It doesn't even matter that he was dying by the minute. Garrett helped him move forward, stopping whenever Carver winced in pain. Garrett explained to him that Anders found the Grey Wardens that they were looking for. In that moment he didn't know whether to feel relief or anxious.

The Hawke brothers finally reached to where Anders and three Wardens were standing. At least his vision had slightly cleared up so that the four figures didn't look like blobs. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying but from the looks on their faces told that they were arguing. There was a stern looking man with a large black moustache, scowling at the mage in front of him. He had his arms crossed against his chest plate with the insignia of the Grey Wardens; a griffin.

There were two others standing behind him; a man with a two handed sword on his back and another man with a quiver of arrows and long bow strapped behind him. The man with the sword wore a full set of Grey Warden plate armor along with a helm so he couldn't see his face. The other man, a little shorter than the man next to him, had a Grey Warden leather armor set on. He also had a helm but he could make out a tanned skinned young face man; he couldn't have been a few years older than Carver.

The wardens noticed their arrival as they turned their attention towards them. The stern man frowned as he lowered his arms from his chest plate while two men stiffen at the sight of Carver. He already felt horrible; he must have looked horrible as well. The stern man locked his gaze at him with his scrutiny dark eyes for a moment.

The stern man whipped his head back at Anders, the scowl returning to his blood stained face. "You can't be serious," he said steadily with a slight Orlesian accent, "This boy…as a _recruit_?" He looked away as he shook his head in disapproval, "Of course you would."

Carver felt a burst of anger when he was called a boy; normally he would have made a snide comment to the man, not even caring that he _was_ a Warden, and start instigating a fight with him. He had grown up too quickly to be who he was now; he was far from the boy who grew up in Ferelden.

Soon his rage was washed away by fear when the man turned his attention to Garrett and spoke in a grave tone, "I'm sorry but I'm afraid that I cannot fulfill this request."

Caver felt as if someone poured ice cold water all over him; all hope that he had had simply drifted away. He had thought that maybe, just _maybe_, he had a chance to live. He had hoped that he wouldn't die; he held onto the false hope that Anders gave him when they sought out for the Grey Wardens. He slumped as the realization caved in like a heavy boulder. He was going to die in the closed space of the Deep Roads. He was going to _die_.

"I know this comes as no comfort to you-"

_Of course it doesn't you ass, _Carver thought bitterly.

"But we do not recruit Grey Wardens out of pity," the man finished as he drifted his eyes to look at Carver. He couldn't help but to glare at the man; it was the only way he could take out his anger besides his sword. He couldn't tell if it was annoyance or curiosity that flickered in the man's eyes. Finally the man spoke solemnly, "It is no kindness…"

He was still glaring at the man but he took in the words. He heard stories about the Grey Wardens; he had grown up listening to them. He was fascinated with them when he was a little boy; they were the reason why the past five Blights were ended. They were an order of strong individuals whose sole purpose was to fight the darkspawn at whatever the cost.

He admired them-at one point in his life he considered the idea of being a Warden, but he didn't like how secretive they were. Besides their roles and involvements in the past Blights, no one other than Grey Wardens knew how a person became a Warden. He never bothered to try and learn more about them. He had more important things to keep in mind, like looking out for any Templars or moving from place to place to avoid being caught.

He wondered if they even accepted him to become a Warden, was he expected to actually _be_ one. That was if, and it was a big if, he managed to stay alive.

He didn't realize that Garrett had tightened his hold of him when he heard the man's refusal to help him. "Carver happens to be a fine warrior," he stated firmly but still had small mirth in his tone, "You'd be an _idiot_ not to recruit him."

Caver gaped at him; since when did his big brother ever defend him in _anything_? He and Garrett were not in the best of terms ever since they arrived in Kirkwall. A whole year of paying off the debt of his bastard of an uncle Gamlen with the Red Iron had also led to a whole year of fighting with each other. Even before that they often found themselves arguing with each other. Figures that all it took was for him to be infected with the Taint to bring them together.

The man's face didn't change but he could hear sternness in his tone, "Be that as it may, I cannot." All the remaining energy in Carver's body left quickly. That was it; the man had no intentions to recruit him. Carver looked up only to find his brother looking down at him. Dark blue eyes clashed with golden brown eyes in a wordless conversation but they both had the same thought.

"Stroud," Anders interjected, bringing back the Hawke brothers to reality, "Trust me, Carver is a skilled warrior. You saw how he fought against the darkspawn just now. You won't regret bringing him into the order."

Carver frowned in confusion; first his brother defended him and now the spirit harboring apostate was also sticking up for him? Of course Anders was dead set on trying to let him live but they weren't exactly the greatest of friends.

The man, or Stroud, looked back at Anders and opened his mouth to say something but Anders quickly interrupted him, "You know that the Wardens need every recruit that they can get! With the Blight over, there isn't exactly a long line of people wanting to join."

Stroud glared at Anders but the mage stood his ground and stared intently back at him. A long silence passed between their group and the Wardens. Stroud then let out a heavy sigh, "This is not a simple thing, Anders," He closed his eyes and held the bridge of his nose for a moment before speaking again, "This may well be a death sentence as the sickness. You _know _this."

Anders flinched and looked away from Stroud; a pained expression appeared on his tired face. Carver knew that the healer was probably reminiscing his time as a Warden. From the stories he told him and the others while in their daily visit at the Hanged Man, he had seen some pretty nasty shit in his short amount of his life.

Stroud took his hand off his face and turned towards the two Wardens. The taller man remained rooted to the ground while the other guy couldn't stop fidgeting. He immediately fixed his posture and gave Stroud an innocent smirk. Stroud shook his head, clearly used to his antics, and nodded once to them. The two of them seemed hesitate and looked back at Carver. Stroud nodded again, this time more firmly, and the Wardens slowly nodded back to him. Stroud motioned with his head to start walking, _away_ from where they stood.

Carver stared at the Warden's retreating backs hopelessly as he started to shake in fear. They were just going to leave them, as if they never talked to them? How could they just turn a blind eye and pretend that nothing happened?

He didn't realize that he was trying to move forward until Varric, who had surprisingly stayed silent throughout the whole time, grabbed his elbow. "Easy there, Junior," he muttered softly, staring straight ahead to the Wardens. Carver suppressed a growl; too stubborn to listen to the beardless dwarf and tried to move again. He bit his bottom lip in pain as he took a small step but kept moving forward. His brother tried to hold him back gently, but then Garrett helped him stay on his feet and be used has a human crutch.

Carver started to pant loudly and his whole body trembled violently but he didn't stop; he wasn't going to give up now, not after searching for them, not after keeping his infection from his group for five days, not after he and his brother worked their asses off to raise coin to get in the expedition, not after seeking refuge in his mother's childhood home, not after his fraternal twin sister Bethany was killed by the damned Ogre in front of him.

He saw the archer stop and look over his shoulder, his dark brown eyes meeting with Carver's determined blue eyes. The guy frowned as he looked back at his fellow Wardens who still kept walking. He looked back at Carver, who was slowly catching up to him, but he didn't move from his spot. He did something that surprised him; he waited patiently for him to reach where he stood.

The tall man with the two-handed sword noticed the archer's disappearance and looked behind him. "What are you doing, Jayden?" he called out, his deep voice resonating throughout the area. He sounded Ferelden but there was something else in his accent that Carver couldn't pick out.

The archer, Jayden, didn't answer back as he stepped closer to him and his brother. Looking at his face more closely, Carver recognized a hint of concern. Jayden was also looking guilty as he searched for something in his rouge belt. He mumbled under his breath humorously, "You'd think that this would be more organized but _noooo_."

He went on a quiet rant about "having labels" and "different pockets for storing" until he found what he was looking for. "Aha," he declared in triumph, pulling out a flask of health poultice. He moved closer, bending forward and jiggling the dark red substance in Carver's face. "Just down it like a swig of ale. The one who made this, unfortunately, lacks the skills of herbalism," he said, a small grin breaking out on his face.

Carver blinked at the grinning Warden, not sure if he should accept his offer. Jayden sighed as he pulled out the cork, scrunching his nose in disgust from the smell of it. "It's not going to kill you, trust the potion tasting guinea pig," he said wryly.

A few seconds of awkward silence passed until Jayden broke it, "Okay, inappropriate joke. My mother raised a comedian but the point is," he stopped as he wore a more serious face, "drink it and you will feel _less_ the pain that you already have."

Another moment of silence passed and nobody made a move. The two Wardens were standing a few feet away from them, waiting for their comrade and what would happen next. It wasn't until Garrett gently grabbed the poultice from Jayden's hand and nodded in gratitude.

He placed the flask against Carver's lips and said quietly, "You know…the last time I force fed you, you were just a baby. You were as stubborn back then as you are now."

Carver rolled his eyes and let out a small groan at his brother. Must he find humor in everything? "I'm dying and you're still making fun of me?" he asked while glancing at Garrett.

"Only for you, dear brother."

Carver glared at him as he grumbled before taking a drink from the poultice, "Thanks, you jackass." He gagged at the bitter taste of the poultice; this didn't even compare to how Anders' potions tasted. At least they were safe to drink_. _He heard a small snicker from Jayden but the man covered it up as a cough. He mumbled a quiet sorry as he tried to hide his amused smile. Carver ignored him as he chugged down the rest of the poultice.

He coughed after he finished drinking the disgusting poultice-if you can call _that _a poultice. It took a few moments for the potion to start kicking in but he did feel a little better than before. He looked up to see Jayden and quickly diverted his eyes to the ground. He was still a little peeved at the Warden's abandonment but at least one of them did _something_. "Thank you," he muttered softly, still keeping his gaze towards the ground.

He didn't look up but he could hear the mirth in Jayden's voice when he replied, "Ya' welcome."

When he heard Jayden's feet shuffle, he thought that he was going to go back to the Wardens. He looked up, surprised to see that he had only turned back to face the other Wardens. "Guys," he called out as he jabbed his thumb at Carver, "This one isn't going without a fight!"

The tall man sighed and went to stand next to Jayden. He took off his helmet and held it against his right side. He was old; that was the first thing he noticed, a little old to still be fighting and carrying a heavy sword on his back, at least. His faded blond hair was held up in a small pony tail, faint stress lines surrounded his squinting light blue eyes, a few scars were etched into his skin but it was hard to see them because of his beard.

His squinted eyes stared at Carver intently while wearing an unreadable expression. It made Carver nervous to be under his scrutinizing gaze. It was like he was trying to find out everything about him in one gaze. Only a minute passed before the old man spoke out softly to him, "Carver, is it?"

Carver lifted an eyebrow in confusion; where was this going to? Nevertheless he confirmed his question with a nod. The old man lowered his eyes, his face still remained unreadable. His eyes glazed as if he was anywhere but in the Deep Roads.

Jayden peered up towards the old man and waved his gloved hand close to his face rapidly. "Yoo-hoo," he drawled out, trying to get his attention, "come back to us, Ike. I promise to give you all the prunes your heart desires if you do!"

Ike blinked his eyes twice before grabbing Jayden's wrist. He looked at Jayden at the corner of his eye and frowned, making his wrinkles more noticeable. "This is not the time for your antics, Jayden," he spoke in a reprimanding manner.

Jayden yanked his hand free from Ike and held both his hands up in defense. He made a motion of zipping his mouth shut but had a mischievous glint in his eyes. Ike briefly rolled his eyes before looking straight back to Carver.

"Carver," he spoke out in a serious tone, "I only have one question." He made a brief pause and asked in the same serious manner, "Do you want to be a Grey Warden?"

Carver was thrown off by the question. "What do you mean?" he asked hesitantly.

"I mean exactly what I said," he replied stiffly, almost in an apprehensive way. "Joining the Grey Warden's is different from joining the army. We don't just take anyone; they must be recognized of their skill and character, to show the potential of becoming a Warden. They also must know the meaning of responsibility and sacrifices."

Ike stepped closer to Carver, who was hanging on to every word the old Warden spoke of. "The Grey Wardens is both a privilege and a great risk. When you join, you will never return to the life you had before. Any ties that you may have-husband, son, thief, or soldier, will have to be severed," His deep voice rang out and Carver could almost hear the wisdom of years and experience that he went through.

"I see great potential in you, Carver. I can tell that this isn't your first time in battle," Ike admitted, making Carver extremely surprised. Carver knew that he was skilled in fighting; he didn't enlist himself for the late King Cailin's army in Ostagar for nothing. But to hear it being acknowledged by some complete stranger made him swell up in pride.

"You would make a fine Warden, but are you willing to carry out that title? Will you accept the role of a Warden, knowing fully well of what you are getting into? Are you prepared for the hardships you will face in the years to come?" Ike asked in a demanding tone.

Carver felt the air escape his lungs and his heart pounded harshly against his chest. He tried to find any falsehood in Ike's eyes but found pure sincerity instead. Ike was not lying nor was he giving him false hope; he was giving him a chance.

Chance, that's rarely given to Carver. No one gave him a chance to find a job or position in Kirkwall all because he was a "Fereldan dog". Nobody gave him a chance to prove himself worthy in either Lothering or Kirkwall. He was always pushed to the side, forcing him to stay in the shadows while others were put in the spotlight. He became bitter because of it, he knew this with every snide comment or complaint he made. It was the only way for him to be heard.

But now, as the corruption flew in his veins, a man he barely knew was giving him a chance. He wasn't forcing him or offering out of pity. He was showing more consideration than any bastard Carver had ever met in his life. The chance that Ike was giving…it was tempting. Carver wanted-_needed_- that one big chance.

"You should go with them…Carver,"

It took a fraction of a second to recognize that the serious tone was coming from his brother. He snapped his head to his left, wincing at the process, and started at Garrett in bewilderment. Garrett wasn't looking at him; he was staring at Ike with his calculating eyes. His laugh lines were visible but he wasn't bearing his usual cocky smirk. The thing that Carver found extremely surprising was Garrett's dull eyes. There wasn't humor or that playful spark that he had; this wasn't his upbeat and sarcastic idiot of a brother.

Carver opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He stood there gaping like a fish out of water. He cleared his throat and managed to say, "But…w-what?"

Garrett pulled away his gaze from Ike and met with Carver's eyes. His demeanor didn't change when he repeated firmly, "I said that you should go with them." Carver frowned and began to protest when Garrett cut him off before he could say anything, "You and I both know that there's no other way."

"What, die now or die later? I'm not sure which choice is better," Carver muttered darkly and glared at his brother.

"CARVER!" Garrett shouted. Carver's eyes widen as well as Garrett's. Garrett turned his head to the side while Carver looked at him in shock. Garrett rarely raised his voice; he would use sarcastic remarks and witty comments whenever he was annoyed or mad.

Carver had forgotten that there were other people watching but he didn't care. Whatever Garrett wanted to say was important, or else Carver wouldn't bother listening to him.

Garrett looked back at Carver, his eyes full of grief that caught Carver off guard. "I don't want to lose you, Carv…not like this…not like…" Garrett whispered softly and filled with remorse.

Carver continued to stare at him and finished his brother's sentence with the same tone, "Like Bethany…" Garrett lowered his head and he nodded somberly.

Carver down casted his eyes to the ground, the memory of Bethany being snatched by an Ogre only to be smashed repeatedly to the ground replayed in his mind. The Blight took everything from him, from their family: their home, their friends, and they lost Bethany. Carver looked back at his brother who refused to look at him. Carver took a deep breath and turned his gaze to Ike.

Carver looked at him dead in the eye and said in a serious tone, "I want to be a Grey Warden…"

At that Ike nodded his head in approval while Jayden grinned from ear to ear and whooped gleefully. "We got another brother joining our ranks!" Jayden exclaimed as he clapped Carver in the back. Then Jayden squeaked out an apology when Carver grunted in pain.

Ike turned to face Stroud, who had remained silent during the time, and said, "Stroud…"

Stroud furrowed his eyebrows as he lowered his head, seemingly thinking about what Carver said. A look of doubt appeared in his face when he lifted his head. Just as he was going to speak, Anders quickly cut him off.

"He'll die anyway! Take him and try," Anders pleaded desperately, "I wouldn't ask anyone of this but you…" There was something in his voice that told Carver that the two of them had a history.

Stroud looked surprised for a moment until he closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. "Very well then," he said softly as Anders gave a small smile, "but if I do this, then we are even."

Anders nodded understandably as he let out a quiet thank you. Even Carver was filled with relief. Stroud turned to Garrett and said, "If your brother comes, he comes now and you may not see him again. It's like what Ike said; being a Warden is not a cure. It's a Calling."

Carver looked at Garrett who appeared emotionless. Carver thought he knew why because as the thought of never seeing that moronic grin of his brother…he felt numb. He couldn't stop himself from asking Garrett, "Are you sure about this?"

Garrett turned to look at him and after a moment he gave Carver a small smile, "I'm not sure of anything…but I want you to live."

Carver stared at him, probably because he may never see his brother again. Garrett's short but messy black hair, his stubble chin beginning to be more noticeable, faint scars from small accidents marred onto his face and his tired but full of mirth golden eyes stared back because of the same reason Carver had.

"We must move quickly if we are to make it to the surface in time," Stroud ordered Ike and Jayden, "Jayden I want you to go ahead of us and tell the others to start preparing to head back to Vigil's Keep."

Jayden faked a groan, "You want me to go by _myself_? Where the darkspawn are? What if they decide to take me into their lair and do whatever they fantasize doing with handsome rouges like moi? Nurren would be _devastated!_"

Stroud glared at him and said crossly, "Thatcher…"

Jayden lifted his hands in defense and said, "Alright, alright! I was joking! You do know what a joke is? It's both a noun and a verb and it can be a story, anecdote, or wordplay that is intended to-"

"Just get moving, Jayden…" Ike groaned as he rubbed his temples with his hand.

Jayden saluted while smiling idiotically, "You can count on me!" Jayden looked back at Carver and said in a teasing manner, "You better not turn to a ghoul on me. Stay alive, trooper!"

Carver was going to insult him but then Jayden turned around, started to jog to where they were going originally and before anyone knew it he melted into the shadows and gone from sight.

Ike grumbled under his breath and all Carver could make out was, "…that injudicious jester…one of these days…" Ike regained his calm countenance and spoke quietly to Carver, "We're ready when you are…you should start saying your goodbyes now."

Carver nodded his head and looked at his traveling companions. Varric was the first who came to him first and patted his arm. "Good luck out there, Junior. I better hear stories of you saving the world, battling evil darkspawn, and all that shit."

Carver smirked and asked, "I imagine that will change once you start spreading them?"

Varric gave a loud cackle and smirked as well. "At least I'll get some fodder, am I right?" he joked as he gave a sly wink. Carver rolled his eyes, remembering their little banter about him being used as a fodder back when they started to earn coin for the expedition.

Anders was next and gave him a smile but his eyes filled with guilt and sadness. "I wouldn't wish this on anyone…but something tells me that you'll make it through," Anders admitted it. Carver couldn't find himself to say anything back but to nod his head. "It won't be so bad," Anders continued, "at least you'll be under the fearless Warden-Commander. You should consider yourself to be lucky"

"Speaking about the Commander," Stroud interrupted him, "You know that I have to inform her of you."

Anders sighed and said in a miserable tone, "Andraste's knicker-weasels, I don't what to even want to _know_ how she'll react…Alright, tell her. I'll just have to wait for my punishment." Carver raised an eyebrow at Anders who simply said, "You'll find out."

Carver didn't ask and said thank you for bringing him to the Wardens, albeit reluctantly. It was then that he looked at his big brother one more time. "Then," he started, "I guess this is it…" He didn't know what to say to him and that made him a little bit angry at himself; he couldn't find himself to say anything meaningful to Garrett. Maybe there wasn't anything left to say; their eyes told each other what they really wanted to say.

"I'll tell the rest of our misfits that you said goodbye," Garrett promised as he handed Carver to both Stroud and Ike. Carver smiled sadly as the thought of a tattooed elf infiltrated his mind. _If only_, he thought to himself.

The Wardens adjusted him so that he would be comfortable and able to walk. Ike asked him if he was ready to which he said that he was. Carver stared at Garrett for the last time and uttered quietly before limping into the shadows, "Take care of Mother."

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><p><em><strong>Author's note: Hello people of Dragon Age fanfictions! I really don't have the energy to write a long disclaimer because I just wrote ten pages, TEN long pages and I know that this will never happen again. So as I was playing Dragon Age 2 the first time, I was MageHawke and I made Carver a Grey Warden without knowing. After watching his appearances, it made start to think about what he had been through. Since there's not a whole lot of fanfic about him as a Warden, I'm deciding to explore that idea and write about his time in the Wardens. That's all there is to know in a nut shell. <strong>_

_**I know that I have other stories to write and that I suck at updating, but I have a really good feeling about this and I'll try my best to update frequently. I hope that you guys enjoy it and I would love to read some feedback from you. Comments, complaints, questions (they will be answered but very loosely), I'll take them all. Now I'll head off and start writing other things! **_


	2. Many Meetings

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dragon Age, that's owned by Bioware and they are the most amazing people and gaming developer ever.**

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><p>Trudging along the dark caves was a difficult task for Carver. He was starting to feel woozy after half an hour had passed since they started heading to the surface. Stroud and Ike had to stop once in a while to let Carver recover some of his strength before they began walking. They gave him more of the disgusting poultice and a lesser stamina draught to keep him moving at a steady pace. Once he wasn't seeing double they continued their way out.<p>

It was quiet the whole time; the two Wardens often spoke to each other about how they were going to keep Carver alive until they reached Vigil's Keep. Carver only half listened to their conversation because his mind was in another place. He kept thinking about his farewell to his brother. It didn't completely sink in; the thought of never seeing his brother again. He remembered feeling like that when he enlisted in King Cailan's army in Ostagar during the Blight.

He also thought about the rest of the "band of misfits"-what his brother liked to call them. Aveline, now Captain of the Guard, had threatened both Carver and Garrett to behave with each other in the Deep Roads since she wasn't there to watch over them. "Or else" she warned them in her authoritative voice. The two of them knew better than to question her after all the times they had prodded her. Isabella had made them promise that if they returned with enough riches they would buy her an exquisite boat and she would "show gratitude" when they returned. This caused Carver to feel flustered and slightly disturbed since he knew what she was talking about. Isabella kissed him in the cheek, seeing his embarrassed expression and gave him a teasing wink before sauntering away from him.

The broody elf-excuse him- _Fenris_ came as well, albeit awkwardly and trying not show his disapproval of the expedition because Fenris agreed to help them as repayment for helping him confront his old master, Danarius, whom he ran away from in Tevinter. Carver tolerated Fenris, shockingly, even though there were some things they disagreed on. It surprised, and amused, both Carver and Garrett to see Fenris stumbling through words as he wished them both luck and success.

Merill said her farewells to him and told him that she'll be praying for Minrall or Mythal, something among the lines of it, to watch over him and his brother. He may not know much about Dalish history but he could tell that Merill was worried for him-correction him _and_ his brother- and her sincerity made him feel light. That feeling expanded when her tiny arms circled around his chest in an embrace. It wasn't a secret that he came to grow feelings for the sweet, bumbling Dalish elf. If he had known that it was the last time he'd seen her…well, there was no point in thinking like that.

It wouldn't be much of a farewell without his mother trying to hold back sobs as she wrapped him in a tight embrace. His mother never approved of him going into the Deep Roads and it was a constant argument since he and Garrett signed up for the expedition.

'_This is too dangerous, you could get killed!'_

"_Mother, I was in Ostagar. __**Ostagar!**__ What will a few dark tunnels do to me?"_

"_It's worse that my eldest is already going there. Do you know how this pains me to know you want to go as well?" _

"_This expedition could change things! We can leave this damned hovel and get away from that bastard Gamlen!"_

"_You and your brother have done so much already; you don't have to keep sacrificing for our family! Once we get the estate back-"_

"_Oh yes, the 'great' Amell estate! Those greedy nobles won't just give it to you! You need money and status to have it back. You want the estate so badly; the expedition is the only way."_

"_There's got to be another way, something that doesn't involve you two risking your lives! We already lost Bethany to the darkspawn; I don't want to find out that my sons died down there the same way."_

"_Mother…"_

"_Carver, I'm begging you. Please, don't go…"_

"_I can't stay here and do nothing. I'm going, mother, and that's that…" _

When their group departed to the nearest entrance of the Deep Roads he never thought that it would be the last time he'd see everyone. Now he wasn't sure if he'll ever see them again.

"We're getting close to the surface," Ike's deep voice reached his ears and broke his train of thought. He nodded his head absentmindedly as he looked ahead of the path. He saw wisps of sunlight the more they moved and that made him feel relieved. How long ago was it since they left the surface? A fortnight ago, maybe more? Whatever it was, it felt like an eternity to him.

Carver turned his head to Ike and asked, "What's going to happen next?" His voice sounded hoarse and he winced inwardly from the prickle of pain in his throat.

"We're going to plan our next moves with the rest of our squad," Ike explained, keeping his squinted eyes forward. "Jayden should be informing them, for the most part. Then we wait for Stroud to give out the orders."

Carver furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, "And what about me?" he asked.

Ike glanced at from the corner of his eyes, "We can't make you a Grey Warden yet." Before Carver got the chance to open his mouth, Ike cut him off. "You have to go through the Joining but we can't perform it here. You need to be in Vigil's Keep with the Warden-Commander's presence."

"Wait, isn't Vigil's Keep in Amaranthine?" he asked, remembering the woman, Sophia he believed, who asked him and his brother to find any Amaranthine noblemen plotting against the Warden-Commander. "That's a long way to go…" His voice wavered slightly. It's been five days since he was tainted, he would be dead before they could ever reach him there.

Ike apparently heard the panic in his tone and quietly assured him, "It is quite a journey but Stroud and I have an idea to get there faster. A shortcut, if you will."

Carver wasn't reassured by this but he kept his mouth shut before he said anything. A few minutes passed by until they finally stepped out of the tunnel. Carver winced as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight. He blinked rapidly and his vision came to. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as the wind caressed his face. He felt like he hadn't seen the outside world in years. Although the sun was only a few hours away from setting, it was comforting to see the cerulean sky above him again.

They began to move again, walking carefully down a steep hill. Carver saw six pitched tents; forming a circle at the bottom of the hill. They were surrounded by thick trees to keep them from sight. There was a fire pit right in the middle but it wasn't lit yet. Carver saw a small figure sitting near the fire pit holding something but he couldn't make it out. Once they enter the camp, Stroud called out for Jayden.

There wasn't any response for a moment until a cheery voice filled the air, "About time!" There was a rustling noise within one of the trees and before Carver knew it Jayden jumped down from a tree and landed gracefully in front of him. He still had his bow strapped on and a moronic grin on his face.

"Took the scenic route, did ya?" Jayden asked in a sarcastic tone as he crossed his arms together. Carver rolled his eyes; Jayden reminded him of his brother and if he's anything like Garrett, he wondered how long he'd be able to stand Jayden.

"Have you informed everyone?" Stroud asked, completely ignoring Jayden's question. Jayden sighed dramatically and nodded his head in response. "Good."

Jayden turned towards Carver and smiled encouragingly at him, "Cora's got something whipped up for you. I'm supposed to take you to her once you arrived."

Carver raised his eyebrow and stared at Jayden warily, "And what is it exactly?"

"It's something to suppress the taint in you, in a way. I won't go into much detail since it's too long and too complicated," Jayden answered as he rolled his eyes. "Cora likes to go overboard with facts and details. I'm afraid you'll learn it the hard way."

"If you are done, Jayden," Ike interrupted with a hint of a smile, "You should do as you were told; lest you want to anger her."

Jayden scoffed, "It doesn't matter; it wouldn't be the first time. Besides, I love seeing her all flustered in anger." With that, Stroud and Ike passed Carver over to Jayden to carry. Jayden had placed his bow near a tent, presumably his, so that he could support Carver better. After a few adjustments and shifting, Jayden had a hold on Carver. "What are you two going to do?" Jayden asked.

"We will be going over a few things and plan our next move before we head out," Stroud answered promptly, "Make sure that he's taken care of." Jayden nodded his head without a word and started help Carver move forward.

They passed by the small figure who sat near an unlit fire pit. Upon close inspection the small figure was actually a dwarf. On an even closer inspection the dwarf was a woman. She was polishing her dark brown maul with a piece of cloth and didn't seem to notice them as they passed by. She blew a piece of her sandy blond hair out of her eyes and turned her gaze at them. Carver's eyes met with her wide brown eyes who stared back curiously. Her hair was in two low ponytails and her short messy hair framed her young face. She had a tattoo on her left cheek- one being a half rectangular, a long rectangle beneath the first, and a small rectangle below the second one- and two square tattoos on each eyebrow. There was a tiny smile on her lips and she nodded her head in greetings.

Jayden threw her a wink to which the dwarf rolled her eyes. Jayden laughed softly and called out to her, "You can't resist me forever!" The dwarf continued to polish her maul and ignored the inane prodding of the cheerful Warden.

Carver looked at Jayden and raised an eyebrow, "I'm almost afraid of asking."

Jayden chuckle, "That's Nurren; she doesn't want to admit she has feelings for me but I'm a patient person. Soon though, very soon." Carver couldn't tell if Jayden was joking or telling the truth. He put it out is mind, coming to a conclusion that he didn't even care to find out.

They stopped outside of a tent and Jayden used his free hand to tap on the flap. There was some movement from inside and a short woman came out of the tent. It didn't take Carver long enough to notice the long pointy ears sticking out of her long dark auburn hair. She flashed a smiled at Jayden then looked at Carver with her hazel eyes. She looked only a year or two older than Carver but her eyes told a different story.

Her worried expression surprised Carver and spoke out quietly, "You must be Carver, correct?" When he nodded his head in response she gave him a small smile, "Greetings, my name's Kallian Tabris."

Carver noticed that she was wearing a medium armor, which made her appear smaller than she truly seemed. She didn't have a weapon on her but the empty sheath on her side told that she wielded a sword. Kallian stepped to the side to let Jayden and Carver enter the tent. It was a small tent but it was slightly spacious on the inside. Kallian came in last and helped Jayden with setting Carver on the floor.

A blonde curly haired girl was sitting on her knees and had her back turned to them. She also wore a medium armor and Carver could see a strange looking sword lying on the floor next to her. Carver saw numerous books scattered around and there were also a couple of vials filled with different colored liquid inside each of them. She turned around and her stormy grey eyes were staring intently at the flask of light green liquid in her hands. Despite her eyebrows furrowed deeply in concentration she couldn't be any older than him.

"Is it supposed to look like that?" Jayden joked; a small smirk appeared on his face. The girl answered Jayden with a heated glare before moving closer to Carver.

Kallian jabbed her elbow at Jayden's side and said, "Leave Cora alone. You know that she does her best in herbalism." Jayden yelped in pain and rubbed his side with his hand. He pouted at Kallian but she merely rolled her eyes at him.

Carver watched her cautiously as she got near him then looked at the weird whatever it was in her hands then back to her. The girl, Cora, finally looked at him in the eye and bore no expression on her face. Her unmoving gaze was making Carver slightly nervous but he didn't want to show that he was intimidated by her so he stared back. Cora didn't do anything until she held out the flask to him and in a blunt tone said, "Drink it."

Carver raised an eye brow at her, "What?" he asked.

Cora nudged the flask closer to him and repeated, "Drink it. It's to immobilize the taint from spreading. I suggest you drink this now before you turn into a ghoul and all the trouble to keep you alive would've been in vain."

Carver glared at her, he didn't appreciate the last comment she made. "Well I'm sorry for 'all the trouble' I gave you," he replied sarcastically, "Next time a darkspawn comes running up to me, I'll just ask for it to slay me quickly. Make it fair and easy for everyone." He didn't know why he suddenly flared at her but after everything he's been through the past couple of days it seemed everything bothered him.

Cora glared back at him and she held the flask tighter. Carver saw her bite her lower lip in anger before she said, "If this is the kind of gratitude you show to those who help you, then I see no reason to give you the only thing that'll keep you alive."

They both continued to glare at each other, never breaking eye contact. Carver was holding back an insult but he was starting to lose his patience. A cough broke them off of their staring contest and both turned to Jayden who made the sound. Jayden scratched the back of his head nervously and looked at Kallian with pleading eyes. Kallian sighed and turned to face Carver and Cora.

"Cora, he didn't mean that," she said in a soothing tone, which surprised Carver who was used to hearing the harsh, cold elves in Kirkwall or those with a Dalish accent. Kallian continued, "The poor boy has been in the Deep Roads for far too long. Plus with the taint he must be exhausted. Give him the antidote and he'll feel better? Right, Carver?"

Kallian looked at him with eyes that said '_Agree with me or so help me…_' Carver looked away from Kallian and stared at the floor. He was embarrassed and also annoyed at this point that he didn't bother to argue. He nodded his head and muttered, "Yes."

He didn't look up to see Cora's face. He saw her tapping her finger against the flask until she sighed in defeat. "My apologies," she said although it didn't sound sincere enough. She handed the flask again to Carver and said, "This _will _help you. The Warden-Commander herself made it and gave it to all mage Wardens to make."

Carver looked at Cora with a puzzled look, "You're a mage? You don't look like one."

Cora's lips twitched and answered coolly, "And what does one look like? Wearing intricate robes, bearing enchanting staffs, and lighting shooting out of their eyes? Maybe I should go around wearing a pointy hat?"

Carver hated to admit but he found that what Cora said was funny. Instead he smirked and grabbed the flask from her hands. He looked down and grimaced at the familiar revolting smell coming from the flask. He glanced back at Cora and asked, "Are you sure this will work?"

Cora rolled her eyes and sighed, "Yes, yes! Now drink already." Carver huffed at her command and chugged the antidote to stop him from saying something rude. The taste was too strong and too disgusting and he started to choke. He made an effort to swallow and forced himself to not empty his stomach.

Jayden patted Carver's back and said, "If it helps, that's not the most repulsive drink that she's made. Trust me on this." A book was thrown at Jayden's head and he flew backwards. His groan was muffled by the book on his face and made no move to sit up. Kallian laughed softly and patted Jayden's stomach sympathetically while Cora had her arms crossed together and glared at Jayden. Carver couldn't help but to smile at the three Wardens, thinking that they were not such bad company.

There were footsteps approaching the tent and a tap alerted them of their presences. Ike poked his head inside and surveyed the scene in front of him. He glanced at the fallen Jayden and shook his head disapprovingly. He looked at the three of them and said, "Stroud is ready to make his announcement. If you are done tending to Carver, he wants you out here now."

Kallian and Cora nodded their head in understanding while Jayden gave a thumbs up. Ike looked at Carver and said, "Stroud understands if you want to rest for a while. We can brief you once you have recovered your strength."

Cora shook her head, "I don't think he should rest. The antidote won't start working quickly and he might not wake up."

"What?" Carver asked but he was ignored.

Ike nodded his head, "Very well then. Carver, you're welcome to join us if you are well."

Carver looked at each face inside of the tent (excluding Jayden's who was still covered by the book) and faced Ike with a determined face. "I am."

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><p><em><strong>AN: Woo! Second chapter over and done with! I hope you enjoyed this and I'll try to update more frequently. Reviews are appreciated and thank you to those who review and all the jazz. Bye!  
><strong>_


	3. Winds of Change

_**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Dragon Age, that's owned by Bioware and they are the most amazing people and gaming developer ever.****_

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><p>"Well that was…anti-climactic…" Jayden said as he crossed his arms together.<p>

Carver and the rest of the Grey Wardens sat around the now lit campfire. Carver sat on the ground with his arm resting on his knee; Jayden was standing next to Carver while Kallian and Nurren sat next to each other on a log; Cora was standing at the opposite side of the campfire by herself; Stroud stood with his arms behind his back and facing them all with a solemn expression; Ike stood next to him with his usual expressionless face. An hour had passed since Carver came back to the surface and in that same hour the Wardens told him about the plan.

"Well, a plan is a plan, I guess." Jayden commented while he shrugged his shoulders.

Ike raised an eyebrow and asked Jayden, "Were you expecting something different?"

Jayden scrunched his nose and said, "Stroud made it sound like he had a pretty exciting plan before but now-"

"This is not about whether or not a mission is 'exciting'," Stroud interrupted Jayden; his voice stern and with a hint of annoyance in it, "What matters is that we get Carver to the Keep as quickly as possible."

"Yes, but a boat ride back to Amaranthine? Ya could've made it more interesting," Jayden complained as he passed a hand through his buzz cut hair.

Carver refrained himself from punching Jayden in the face; it was his life that was on the line but all Jayden cared about was if it was going to be entertaining or not. Prick.

"I see nothing wrong with it," said Kallian, trying to change the subject, "It should be at least two or three days trip from here to Amaranthine."

Stroud nodded his head to Kallian in gratitude, "We're not far from the port we came from weeks ago. If we head for there now, we'll be fortunate enough to aboard on a ship tonight."

"Is that why you ordered us to pack up camp earlier?" Cora asked, "What about our mission?"

Carver looked at Stroud questionably and asked, "What mission?"

Stroud looked hesitant for a moment then he responded, "We were looking for some…_allies_ in the Deep Roads. That is all I can say."

Carver frowned, "What allies? Other Grey Wardens?"

Again Stroud looked as if he was pained to give out information, "No, no…It's complicated and I'm not at liberty to say anything more."

"What do you mean you can't say anything more?" Carver asked angrily, "If I'm a Grey Warden, I'm allowed to know about these things."

"But you're not a Grey Warden," Stroud snapped at him then he spoke in a stern tone, "Not yet…Not until you pass the Joining."

"Then why can't I do it now?" Carver stood up and glared at Stroud, "If I have to wait three day to do this then let's get it out of the way and do it here!"

Stroud was about to say something but Ike cut him off, "I told you, Carver, the Commander has to be there to make it official. Also we don't have the proper means to perform the Joining right now."

Carver relaxed a bit, though he was still annoyed by Stroud. He really didn't understand why he couldn't do the Joining. Was the Joining a sort of test or something else? Why couldn't anyone tell him what the Joining really is? He hated the half answers that he got and the secrecy didn't help either. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked back to see that it was Jayden looking guiltily at him.

"We need lyrium; a LOT of lyrium." Jayden told him. "And some darkspawn blood…and a hint of Archdemon blood as well."

Carver looked at Jayden in shock while he heard Stroud sighing and said, "Jayden-"

"What?" Jayden retorted, "It doesn't matter if he knows; he's going to be one of us soon."

"We may not know that for sure," Stroud responded sternly.

Jayden snorted and said, "Stroud, he's had the taint for _five_ days. He's gonna survive, I know it."

Stroud frowned and looked away from Jayden. He looked deep in thought and after a moment he closed his eyes and breathed through his nose. He looked back at Carver and said, "Jayden as a point." At this Jayden grinned and puffed out his chest in pride. "Your life lies within the Grey Wardens now; you should not be denied of the secrets of our Order." Carver opened his mouth to speak but Stroud lifted his hand to silence him. "But," he continued, "Not _all _of our secrets. In due time, I swear it."

Carver looked at Stroud dead in the eye and finally, he sighed in defeat and nodded his head. He guessed it was as good as he was going to get. No matter how peeved he was.

Jayden patted his shoulder and told him quietly, "I'll tell ya more about the Joining later."

For the first time since Carver met him, Jayden looked serious and there wasn't a hint of mirth in his voice. Carver bit the inside of his cheek to refrain from asking Jayden to tell him now. So far, Jayden seemed like a person that he could count on; he was the one who helped him back in the Deep Roads and now he backed him up against Stroud. Carver decided that he could wait. For a while.

"With that aside," Ike said after a moment of silence had past, "Is everyone in favor of the plan?"

Nobody said anything at first until Kallian replied, "I think that this is up to Carver to decide, don't you agree?" Beside her, Nurren nodded her head in agreement while Cora muttered a yes under her breath.

"Well buddy," Jayden began, "What's it gonna be?"

Carver looked at everyone and without a thought he replied, "You don't hear me complaining about it."

* * *

><p>Ships, Carver concluded, were evil little blighters.<p>

Carver leaned back against the wooden railing as he tried to control the urge to vomit all over the deck. _'How does Isabella find the thrill of this?'_ Carver thought as he sweat profusely. He recalled the stories of the swashbuckling captain and her adventures that accrued beyond the seas. He wasn't like the sultry woman and absolutely found no pleasure in being on a vessel that rocked on the waters endlessly. '_Bloody pirate.' _

It had been three days since he and the Wardens set out from the entrance of the Deep Roads and made it to a sea port where they miraculously found a ship to take them to Amaranthine. Carver thought for sure that they weren't able to go aboard on such late notice but Stroud spoke with the captain of the ship and somehow the captain agreed, albeit reluctantly.

Carver kept to himself these past three days; mostly thinking about the recent events and what was going to happen to him. The others didn't bother him; they let him have his personal space. He supposed that he was grateful for it, but even if any of them came near him to talk he would ignore them. He still felt sick from the taint, even though the mage Cora gave him more of the revolting antidote, which made him cranky and feel just downright awful. It also didn't help that he was a little bit seasick.

He closed his eyes and tried to control his breathing; it helped during the boat ride from Gwaren to Kirkwall and it helped now as well. After a few minutes he felt slightly better and he was almost at peace when he heard a cheerful voice calling to him. "Hey there buddy!"

Carver groaned loudly as he opened his eyes and saw Jayden standing in front of him. Jayden had long gotten rid of his armor and wore a tunic with the Grey Warden insignia on it and a pair of brown trousers. Jayden joined him, propped his arms on the railing and faced the open sea. From his view Carver could see the black rat tail which was the only visible hair that Jayden had.

"What do you want now?" Carver muttered as he kept his eyes straight ahead. It was not the first time the cheery Warden tried to talk to him and unfortunately it wouldn't be the last.

From the corner of his eyes he saw Jayden shrug his shoulders. "Nothing, just checking up on ya," Jayden replied.

Carver rolled his eyes; Jayden had been using the same excuse to be near him. Though it was true that Jayden checked on Carver on orders from Stroud, it got a little annoying.

"You don't like ships?" Jayden asked absentmindedly while he picked dirt from under his fingernails.

"What _ever_ gave you that idea?" Carver asked dryly; frowning to himself.

Jayden chuckled, "Lucky guess."

A moment of silence passed between them, much to Carver's surprise. Jayden tapped his fingers against the railing but he remained quiet as he looked out at the waters. It wasn't long before Carver felt a wave of nausea hitting him fiercely and he found himself spilling out his contents over the railing.

He heard Jayden muttering a quiet 'ew' and he patted Carver's back sympathetically. "This your first time on a ship?" Jayden asked.

Carver was coughing out what was left of his vomit and shook his head, "Second time. It was almost two years ago when my family and I took a ship from Gwaren to Kirkwall."

Jayden whistled and said, "From _Gwaren_? That must've been a long trip."

"It was," Carver confirmed, "We were on that bloody ship for almost a month."

Carver remembered being on that ship like it was yesterday. It wasn't a large ship and there were too many refugees on board so everyone was cramped up. A few people were sick and some even died during the trip. It was suffocating; he felt as if he was trapped inside a tiny cage. A cage filled with despair, sickness, and never ending darkness all wrap up together.

Jayden shook his head, "Why did ya go to Kirkwall? Seems like a random place to be."

Carver stiffens at Jayden's words and replied blankly, "You have no idea."

He balled his hands into fists and didn't dare to look at Jayden. He wasn't going to tell him. He didn't _need_ to know. Jayden was trying to get to know him; trying to be his friend, trying to find out about his past. He wasn't blind to Jayden's intentions.

Truth be told…Jayden does seem to be the only one on his side. Jayden stood up for him even though he didn't know shit about him. He won't admit out loud but…Carver acknowledged what Jayden had done for him-so far. That doesn't mean he trusted him with every little secret he had. No way. He wasn't looking to be buddy-buddy with the idiot. If he could only take a bloody hint, though…

Jayden began to ramble on about how he was ready to go Vigil's Keep, eat until he couldn't eat no more, and fall into his bed. Carver only tuned in here and there, not particular ecstatic about Jayden's enthusiasm. There were moments were the sickness went away, but black spots appeared in his eyes. He blinked furiously and shook his head to get rid of them. He breathing was getting heavier by the minutes and he could feel himself fighting against sleep. It only when he felt a tap in his shoulder that he was brought back into reality. He looked to the right and saw a bottle of Cora's potion right in his face.

Jayden held the bottle with a sad and knowing smile. "Hey, stay with us," he said as he swished the bottle to and fro, "You're not turning into a ghoul on my watch."

Carver tentatively took the potion and begrudgedly swallowed its contents. It tasted like shit every time. In fact, the taste seemed to get worse with every swallow. He wordlessly handed back the bottle to Jayden and gazed out into the waves.

Jayden let out sigh and spoke softly, "You're not going to die."

Carver didn't acknowledge him as he let the words sink in. He wasn't thinking about his impending fate. He placed it in the back of his mind. It wasn't the best plan, but it was better to think about other things than…than his death. He already dealt with enough death to last a lifetime. His death would have to wait. He didn't know how Jayden knew about his troubles and he didn't bother asking.

"Look!" Jayden exclaimed, making Carver jump in surprise, "We're here! Amaranthine!" Jayden voiced boomed loud enough to earn some colorful words from the other sailors. Jayden didn't paid mind and whooped excitedly, his voice echoed throughout the ship.

Carver shook his head in annoyance, but he couldn't suppress the feeling of hope beginning to rise. They did indeed arrived. He could see the strip of sand and other ships making port. It reminded him of the docks in Kirkwall, absent the smell of shit and despair.

"You're one step closer to being a Warden," Jayden told him happily, "I'm going to tell the others and let them know. Want to come with?"

Carver shook his head. "I'll stay out here a little longer. I'll wait for you lot," he answered blankly.

Jayden clamped him in the back and said, "They're _your_ lot too. Soon. I'll see ya then." With that Jayden left Carver and he welcomed the silence.

Carver gripped his hands as he watched the land appear closer and closer into view. Carver furrowed his eyebrows, feeling unease and dread sunk in his stomach. He always had in mind to return to Ferelden; when things got better. He never thought himself to live his whole life in Kirkwall. Why would he stay in a place where he was treated like dirt, where no one gave the time to listen to him, where he was never accepted? After a while, though, things never got better. Plans were changed, promises were broken, and even his own family went against him. Now look at him; finally getting his wish. Just…not the kind of homecoming he expected.

He let out a snort,_ 'What home?'_ he thought bitterly, _'Home is gone…'_

He doesn't know what he's going to face, or what will be thrown at him. He won't even know what he will lose in the next years. He will never know of how today-on the blighted ship- will mark as the day everything changed. Right now, he knew that today will be his last day as the sour and angry boy that is Carver Hawke.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello again. It's been awhile, hasn't it? I don't know if people still bother reading this, but I really liked how the direction this story was-will be- taking. With that, I decided to go back to writing. I won't explain about the same problem that every writer faces. Just know that I will try to make an effort to keep going. **

**I'm sorry if this chapter seems to be short or choppy. I haven't gotten a Beta reader and I can only spot out little mistakes here and there (when I know that there's a bunch of mistakes). Also this chapter was little bit difficult to write, but no matter! Like I said, I hope you enjoyed this and please let me know about any criticism (constructive though) you wish to add and I'll gladly listen to them all. Please review, it will help me know if people will be interested to see this story take form. **

**I hope that you enjoyed reading and have a good day!**

**Your humble servant,**

**PurpleViolin.**


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